THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF Mr. MORRIS LESSMORE

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is an American animated short film by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, created at Moonbot Studios in Shreveport, Louisiana. After winning over a dozen film festivals, the film was awarded the Best Animated Short Film at the 84th Academy Awards in Los Angeles last night.

Inspired, in equal measures, by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz, and a love for books, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is a poignant, humorous allegory about the curative powers of story. Using a variety of techniques (miniatures, computer animation, 2D animation) award winning author/ illustrator William Joyce and Co-director Brandon Oldenburg present a hybrid style of animation that harkens back to silent films and MGM Technicolor musicals. Morris Lessmore is old fashioned and cutting edge at the same time.

Plot: Following a hurricane which destroys his town Morris is whisked away to a colourful old house full of books which come alive and interact with him spreading happiness in the community. He remains their custodian for years until it is time for him to pass on and another guardian of the books take over from him.

Video "THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF Mr MORRIS LESSMORE":

ADELE TAKES IT ALL (MTV, GRAMMY & BRIT AWARDS)

Adele continues collecting awards, after the ones received by MTV, 6 awards of the 6 nominations to Grammies and on Tuesday night 2 Brits for best British female singer and best album. Adele keeps taking them all. Congratulations! In the photos the Grammies & the Brits and the video of her performance of "ROLLING IN THE DEEP" at the Brits show.

Video "ROLLING IN THE DEEP", Adele @ Brits 2012:


Lyrics | Adele lyrics - Rolling In The Deep lyrics

A THOUSAND WAYS TO SAY "I LOVE YOU"

It's Valentine's Day today, so here's a song to celebrate the day. "A THOUSAND WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU" by Chris Teixeira. Do you know some?

TE AMO, TE QUIERO, QUÉROTE, I LOVE YOU, JE T'AIME, TI AMO, ICH LIEBE DICH...

Following the song, there's a video with a lovestory for this day. For a previous post about the history of Saint Valentine's Day, click on the labels VALENTINE or TRADITIONS.

Video "A THOUSAND WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU", Chris Teixieira:

LYRICS:
No matter how you say it, there are a thousand ways to say "I love you."
Я тебя люблю, I love you
Я тебя люблю, I need you
Я тебя люблю, te amo too

und Ich liebe dich, you're so sweet
und Ich liebe dich, you're my treat
und Ich liebe dich, Je t'aime too

There are a thousand ways to say I love you
There are a thousand ways to say I love you
There are a thousand ways to say I love you
There are a thousand ways to say I love you

Video "SIGNS":

WHITNEY HOUSTON FOUND DEAD AT A BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL

Whitney Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, the Guinness World Records cited her as the most-awarded female act of all time. Her list of awards includes two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, and 22 American Music Awards, among others.Houston was also one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums, singles and videos worldwide.

Inspired by prominent soul singers in her family, including her mother Cissy Houston, cousins Dionne Warwick and her godmother Aretha Franklin. Houston began singing with New Jersey church's junior gospel choir at age 11. After she began performing alongside her mother in night clubs in the New York City area, she was discovered by Arista Records label head Clive Davis.

Houston was the only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits. Houston's 1985 debut album "Whitney Houston" became the best-selling debut album by a female act at the time of its release. It was named Rolling Stone's best album of 1986.

Houston's first acting role was as the star of the feature film "The Bodyguard" (1992). The film's original soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Its lead single "I Will Always Love You", became the best-selling single by a female artist in music history.

On February 11, 2012, Houston died of unknown causes at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Here are the videos & lyrics to two of her all time greatest hits.

Video "I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY", Whitney Houston:

Lyrics | Whitney Houston lyrics - I Wanna Dance With Somebody lyrics
Video "I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU", Whitney Houston (from the film "The Bodyguard"):


Lyrics | Whitney Houston lyrics - I Will Always Love You lyrics

FEBRUARY 7th: CHARLES DICKENS' 200th BIRTHDAY

Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a greater popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he is still popular, being responsible for some of English literature's most important novels and characters.
Many of his writings were originally published serially, in monthly instalments, a format of publication which Dickens himself helped popularise. Other authors completed novels before serialisation, but Dickens often created the episodes as they were being serialised. This practice gave his stories a particular rhythm, punctuated by cliffhangers to keep the public looking forward to the next instalment. The continuing popularity of his novels and short stories is such that they have never gone out of print.
Dickens's work has been highly praised for its realism, comedy, mastery of prose, unique personalities and concern for social reform by writers such as Leo Tolstoy and G.K. Chesterton; though others, such as Henry James and Virginia Woolf, have criticised it for sentimentality and implausibility.

Video a Dickens' biography:

[SIMPLE BIOGRAPHY]

The greatest English novelist of the Victorian era, Dickens was also a vigorous social campaigner. With his rich storytelling and his ability to create powerful and memorable characters, he is one of the English language's greatest writers. Happily, Dickens achieved massive worldwide popularity in his lifetime and not one of his short stories or novels has ever been out of print.
1812: Born in Portsmouth, England

1824: Dickens’ father is imprisoned for bad debts Dickens begins working 10 hours a day at a boot polish factory

1827: Finds work as a legal clerk
1834: Becomes a journalist for the Morning Chronicle

1836: The Pickwick Papers appears in serial form Marries Catherine Hogarth

1837-9: Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby appear in serial form

1843: Writes A Christmas Carol

1850: Finishes David Copperfield

1853: Finishes Bleak House

1859: Finishes A Tale of Two Cities

1853: Finishes Great Expectations

1870: Dies in London from a stroke.

2nd FEBRUARY: GROUNDHOG DAY (2012: 6 MORE WEEKS OF WINTER)

Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2. It is held in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If on the other hand, the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks. The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog. The holiday also bears some similarities to the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas. It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 1 and also involves weather prognostication.

Modern customs of the holiday involve celebrations where early morning festivals are held to watch the groundhog emerging from its burrow. In southeastern Pennsylvania, Groundhog Lodges (Grundsow Lodges) celebrate the holiday with fersommlinge, social events in which food is served, speeches are made, and one or more g'spiel (plays or skits) are performed for entertainment. The Pennsylvania German dialect is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty, usually in the form of a nickel, dime or quarter, per word spoken, put into a bowl in the center of the table. The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where crowds as high as 40,000 have gathered to celebrate the holiday since at least 1886.

Historical origins.

In Scotland the tradition may also derive from an English poem:
As the light grows longer

The cold grows stronger

If Candlemas be fair and bright

Winter will have another flight

If Candlemas be cloud and rain

Winter will be gone and not come again

A farmer should on Candlemas day

Have half his corn and half his hay

On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop

You can be sure of a good pea crop.

This tradition also stems from similar beliefs associated with Candlemas Day and Groundhog Day. Candlemas, also known as the Purification of the Virgin or the Presentation.

In western countries in the Northern Hemisphere the official first day of Spring is almost seven weeks (46–48 days) after Groundhog Day, on March 20 or March 21. About 1,000 years ago, before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar when the date of the equinox drifted in the Julian calendar, the spring equinox fell on March 16 instead. This is exactly six weeks after February 2.

BBC'S BRITISH HISTORY TIMELINE.

If you want to have a look and check on British History, click on th link to the BBC British History timeline. It's interesting.